


Unexpected Reunification

by LieutenantStrawberry



Series: Sarek's Children [1]
Category: Star Trek: Discovery
Genre: Family Drama, Family Dynamics, Gen, Kid Michael Burnham, Kid Spock (Star Trek), Mild Language, Original Character(s), Teenage Sybok, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:28:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25018543
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LieutenantStrawberry/pseuds/LieutenantStrawberry
Summary: Sybok's early life has been chaotic. His mother, T'Rea, was the only intermittently constant during his childhood. He had been happily living in a boarding school, but his life gets disrupted once his absent father, Sarek, appears to take him back to Vulcan against his will to live with his new family.
Relationships: Amanda Grayson & Sybok, Amanda Grayson/Sarek, Michael Burnham & Spock & Sybok, Sarek & Sybok
Series: Sarek's Children [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1811584
Comments: 23
Kudos: 30





	1. Unexpected Reunification

**Author's Note:**

> I just learned about Sybok's existence, seems like Sarek's children just jump out of the nowhere where the canon requires it. I wanted to write an angsty story about his early life, but I find myself more attracted to attempt a more light-hearted one about Sarek's children in a perfect AU where we are all happy and Sarek's parenting skills don't make me want to scream. I didn't find a last name for this family and well, I didn't want to make up one because allegedly, no Vulcan has ever stated to have a specific last name in canon according to Mr. Google. If I'm mistaken, please let me know because I wanted to name the series after the family's last name. Also, I'm not an English native speaker, please point out if there's a mistake in the text. I'm willing to learn ;)

Sybok's early life had been chaotic.

His mother, T'Rea, was the only intermittently constant during his childhood. Quickly, he learned that he was a burden for her and her life goals. Which was not exactly a secret since she was always leaving him behind in the care of her family in Vulcan, who weren't pleased by that fact.

The lack of stability, significant attachments, parental figures and supervision soon become normal in Sybok's eyes. He knew his mother would leave him forever because he had heard she wanted to go under the Kolinahr. Therefore, when his mother and family told him that he would attend Terran Moon's institute, a boarding school off-world, when he turned eleven, Sybok knew that T'Rea was about to abandon him as every other person in his life.

He had nodded, speechless, but not surprised.

He didn't grieve or felt personal the decision. His mother was practically a stranger to him and when he tried to think what he knew about her, he soon realized they didn't even have a bond anymore.

The past of the time had erased the distant presence of T'Rea from his mind and thoughts.

He had packed his belongings in silence, mostly because he had nothing to add and would be pointless. Also, he wasn't eager to stay on a planet with people who clearly didn't want him around.

He didn't blame them.

His mother was the only responsible for his care.

Leaving Vulcan felt less emotional and was sooner than he expected. Quite often Sybok, daydreamed leaving the planet to explore the vastness of the galaxy, to experience the diversity that only existed inside the books at the learning center and find a comfortable place to belong.

The Terran moon's institute, Zephram Cochrane Academy, turned out to be not exactly a bad place as he initially thought. Actually, turned out it to be awesome in his opinion. For the first time, Sybok had a place in the universe, because the school was full of forgotten kids whose families were too preoccupied making money, working or blatantly, didn't want them around just like him.

He had spent the last three years of his life there and the change was abysmal since his departure from Vulcan.

Surprisingly, he didn't miss his mother which was common among the kids there. Most of them, had practically grown up alone being in the care of servants and paid employees, their whole life before being thrown into the small, cold and boring Terran moon.

Thankfully, he was the only Vulcan in the academy, which wasn't unexpected. He was aware how much Vulcan parents liked to have the opportunity to — _logically_ — articulate their disappointment to their children and be off world, certainly, would be an obstacle to achieve that goal.

In addition, he didn't want to interact with _boring_ Vulcan adults who were always whining about the lack of logic in every single thing. Thus, when he found out his roommates were a rich human kid from the American continent, a Tellarite from the north who was the son of the Tellarite Ambassador to Earth and a wealthy Andorian boy from the capital, he felt relieved.

Promptly, the boring classes, the fun conversations about things Vulcan kids would find irrelevant, the nights along his roommates watching 21st century holomovies from all kinds of planets while gambling candies and messing around the halls with them become the only way he conceived his life. He would remember for the rest of his life when his friends organized his first birthday celebration, since Vulcans found the simple act of being born as not worthy of any recognition.

Sybok _was_ truly happy.

Three standard years were enough to lose all of the few _Vulcaness_ he had acquired growing up with his mother's family.

He had changed his clean and perfect haircut.

 _The Teachings of Surak_ book his forefather packed in his suitcase when he left, was a hiding place for candies and foreign snack that were not included in the meal plan of the academy. There, Sybok had learned to swear in a variety of Terran languages, two Andorian dialects and five different regional Tellarite accents, all courtesy of his friends at the school.

Of course, to that point, Vulcan was only the name of that boring planet where he happened to be born. There was nothing calling him to go back in early future and never experimented homesickness not even for a second. Therefore, when the Tellarite Counselor, Zaogga Tlok, wanted to talk with him in her office after class, the week he did not have time to run his forbidden card games or have been practicing the new words his friends taught him in the halls, Sybok knew something was _off_.

He had been thinking about what exactly she would want to talk in her office. He admitted to himself being nervous, but tried his best attempt to mimic the Vulcan façade. When counselor Tlok opened the door of the office to speak privately, he sighed and walked in.

"Take a seat. There's no need to be nervous, Sybok. Your mother talked to me this morning. She's coming to see you."

T'Rea hadn't made any effort to contact him in those three years, beside one time he broke his arm. So, she coming all the way from Vulcan to meet him was odd.

His nervousness turned into a pain in the stomach.

The Tellarite woman seemed to notice his discomfort, but didn't voice it.

"Why?"

"It's not my place to say it. She will inform you when she arrives," reiterated the Counselor, wearing a severe expression.

"I don't want to see her," he said immediately.

"Sybok—"

"No, I want to know _now_."

"As I have said, your mother will be the one who's going to inform you." Sybok noticed how the calm demeanor of the Counselor growing impatient for his lack of cooperation.

Sybok stood and reiterated, "No, I don't want to see her. Tell her when she arrives."

"She will be here tomorrow morning at 0100 hours."

That being said, Sybok jumped out of the chair and left.

"Sybok!" He heard her call him as he walked through the hall to the lunch room with his friends.

* * *

**[…]**

* * *

They were all inside their dormitory after the end meal when Sybok had barely eaten anything. His friends insisted, asking what did the counselor said to him, but he sipped a glass of juice while answered he would do it once the dinner was over.

"So, what's happening?" asked Daniel to Sybok once they got back from the dining room.

Sybok shrugged, sitting on the edge of his bed with a sigh, he was upset once the possibility of being dragged back to Vulcan showed up in his mind. He didn't want to come back to that place, no one was waiting for him and he wished to stay where he was appreciated and had friends.

"My mother is coming tomorrow," Sybok replied.

"And… What's the problem?" asked Sol, uncertain only to receive a sharp look from Naann, who refrained himself from start arguing about the stupidity of his comment.

"Is she gonna take you back to Vulcan?" None of them had voiced that obvious concern until Daniel brought it into the conversation.

"I don't think so. What did Counselor Tlok say about that?" queried Naann, from the upper bed of one of the two bunk-beds in the room.

"No! I mean, I don't know… She didn't tell me," replied Sybok in a serious tone, he was upset because every single time his mother showed up after a considerable amount of time in silence, his life was about to turn upside down. "She just said she was coming to see me."

"Perhaps, she wants to visit you," said Sol, shrugging.

"She's a Vulcan, Sol. She won't travel all the way from Vulcan without a motive to. My father was the Tellarite Ambassador to Vulcan before, I _know_ Vulcans. They don't do anything with a motive,"

"Hey! Relax, buddy," said Daniel. "I know Vulcans too; I know Sybok, remember?"

"You can't go back there! You said it's a boring rock with even more boring people."

"Everyone calm down! What if it's just a visit? My parents visit me when they want to argue with me in person. Remember when Counselor Tlok found out I was selling stuff I brought from Andoria? She was mad and said that I was _smooling_ and then, my mother travelled only to argue with me about it?"

"Smuggling," corrected Daniel.

"The Standard police have arrived," replied Sol sarcastically, palming his face. "Can you stop being part of the language patrol for a second? Sybok could leave tomorrow to _logicland_!"

"Stop arguing, I feel like at home and I don't like that," interrupted Naann eyeing them with open disapproval.

"Fine!"

"So…"

"So, what?"

"I don't want to leave."

"Why we are all jumping into the worst scenario?"

All the boys, including Sybok, stared at Daniel, who was kind of ashamed to raise his voice.

"Sybok said his mother was coming over, not that she was gonna' drag him back to Vulcan. So, stop saying that."

Twenty-two minutes after, the light turned off and all went to sleep. Sybok could even fall asleep once the worst scenario become also, the most likely to happen in his mind.

* * *

**[…]**

* * *

Sybok hadn't slept the night prior and had almost thrown up the morning meal once the Counselor told him that his mother was already there.

Was he eager to see her? No, but he couldn't just not attend. She was his mother and despite the neglect of his emotional needs, the distant treatment and strained relationship status, he still had hope she would reconsider going under the Kolinahr and stay at his side.

Stepping into that room and acknowledging his mother sitting at the table looking absolutely absent was devastating in a way Sybok couldn't explain with words.

T'Rea resembled much more severe than the last time Sybok had talked to her. Three years ago when she left him in a, back then, unknown foreign moon. He reached out for their bond, but nothing came of it. He felt a mild sensation of sorrow for a brief moment and then, turned his eyes from the table to meet hers.

"Sybok." He always considered his mother as soft-spoken, despite the void of emotion she had turned into as the years went by. But in that precise moment, his name sounded off putting in her lips.

"Mother," he managed to say gulping. "What are you doing _here_?"

"I am aware of the distress my sudden arrival has caused you, son," she started to say in perfectly articulated Vulcan. Her eyes examined Sybok's expression like she was feeling some sort of discontent to witness palpable emotions in his face. She continued after Sybok didn't add anything to that statement, "As Counselor Tlok had informed you, my visit is not unjustified."

He nodded as a signal to continue to speak. He was growing impatient and wanted to leave soon. Less than ten minutes in that room with his mother had been enough to remember him how distant they were to each other and how little he belonged among logical and collected Vulcans like her.

"I have contacted Ambassador Sarek, _your father_."

_His absent father?_

"The one who's never been present in my life?" He replied sharply in Standard.

He had refused to talk Vulcan with her the few times he had contacted as a gesture of rejection to her and her way of living.

" _Why_?"

T'Rea took a long minute to begin to speak again.

Sybok thought his evident emotions should be a distraction to her attempt to communicate with him, but he was far for even try to conceal them for her comfort.

"I will go under the Kolinahr. I have been granted the opportunity to serve as a healer in the temple of—"

"And why are you doing here then? What does my father have to do with any of this?" Sybok snapped openly bothered, he snorted controlling his emotions and asking, in a soft voice, "Why don't just leave me here?"

T'Rea was consistently unreachable to Sybok and that was frustrating.

She was a talented telepath who eventually pursued a career in the mental health field in their native planet. Slowly her life goals evolved until didn't no longer included Sybok's existence.

"As I can see, I was mistaken sending you to this institution. Which is highly qualified to deal with individuals in their adolescence, but I overestimated you when I assumed you would retain your Vulcan formation, while being in contact with children with different cultural backgrounds. Your emotional control and logic training has devolved since the last time I spoke with you. This is detrimental for your correct development as a Vulcan. I have taken the decision to put you in custody of your biological father, who will succeed in amending your emotional control. A task I have failed."

"And he agreed or is this a decision you took by yourself and plan to throw me in his front door?"

"He agreed," T'Rea stated with the gaze focused on Sybok's reaction, ignoring his comment. "He currently resides in Vulcan. Thus, you will be moving to live—"

"No, I don't want to go back to Vulcan," the words fell from his mouth. He was clear on that matter after experimenting the freedom emotions provided to his life and, more importantly, it was not his wish to return to a planet he no longer felt any connection with.

"The decision has been made, Sybok."

The young boy stayed quiet, shocked by the revelation. It was not the fact he was going back to Vulcan, since his friend Daniel voiced the possibility, he spent the night trying to adjusting to the idea. Regardless, his father obtaining his custody never appeared as a possibility.

"I have taken the most logical decision due the circumstances. As I stated, your education in this institution has failed to provide logic training. It is my duty to ensure you the best environment to develop as an emotionally controlled Vulcan. Your father will take care of the needs I neglected when I assumed you would develop them by your own."

"So, it's my fault to not to be what you wanted to?"

"Your statement is based entirely on emotion, which often lead to misguided conclusions, son," T'Rea said, collected and impassive while Sybok was struggling to hide his desire to scream at her and cry hysterically. "Your demeanor is opposite of what is expected and acceptable among our people. Your blatant display of emotions and your reticence to speak our native language with me, as a mild form of rebellion, confirms that the observations made are accurate and I took the best decision for your adequate formative development."

Sybok stared at the nowhere with the hands in the cold table, whereas he heard and processed T'Rea's words.

Soon realizing he was about to be taken out of all he put so much effort to build and accustom to, to be thrown into the house of an unknown man who never cared enough to even show up in his whole life.

He knew who his father was.

He had seen him through the holonews and his Tellarite friend Naann told him that he was an Ambassador from a prominent family inside Vulcan, but he didn't care enough to research any further. He had abandoned him and was as neglectful as his mother. Thus, Sybok wasn't eager to meet him or speak to him, let alone live in his house.

He had even less authority than his mother over him.

Both of them had failed to him. T'Rea had neglected to put any effort to his nurture and Sarek didn't even make an appearance.

"I don't want to live with him." Sybok blinked, suddenly a mild feeling of hesitation filled him. He didn't know Sarek in the slightest, he didn't wish to meet him by any means and the sole idea of leaving, felt like some sort of punishment.

"Sybok—"

"Mother, I—" Sybok closed his mouth, it was pointless and realizing that fact, he felt cold towards T'Rea and the entire situation. If he wanted to leave in the near future, he had to stop arguing with his mother, obtain the essential information and come back to enjoy his about to finish stability. "When is _he_ due to arrive?"

"Two standard weeks from now," T'Rea said tonelessly.

"Fine."

Sybok stood up, displaying his best impersonation of a stoic and perfectly controlled Vulcan and walked to the door.

"Bye, _Ko-mekh_ ," said Sybok extending the Vulcan salute to her before leaving.

* * *

**[…]**

* * *

Packing his luggage took him a complete week, even with the help of his friends.

He skipped class twice that week to stay in his room until Counselor Tlok noticed, hardly ate a couple of spoonful of Terran tomato soup and felt generally unfocused.

He had spent his classes watching photos of Ambassador Sarek that he had found in public sources.

Sarek was a stranger and Sybok was not sure what he should expect from him. The only thing he could deduce by seeing his pictures, it was that he surely was a boring Vulcan follower of Surak because of the bowl cut, but nothing else.

The two weeks passed in a blink.

One day he just woke up and his PADD indicated that it was the day his absent father will come to take him back to Vulcan. He didn't even care to show up at class and his friends stayed with him until he left to the entrance of the school with his suitcase.

"Promise you're not letting them cut your hair like a bowl," said Daniel in Vulcan when the Tellarite woman appeared in sight.

"This way, Sybok," the woman said, standing close to them, while Sybok waved his hands as a farewell.

The hall was silent and for a moment.

Sybok remembered how he had felt the day he arrived and wished to go backwards in time and present himself as the collected, logical and balanced Vulcan his mother would approve.

Would it have mattered if Sybok had fulfilled his mother expectations?

The answer was uncertain and it was already late to wonder about. Despite his attitude towards T'Rea, he had the suspicion that the decision was something between her and his father and he had no say in the matter.

"Ambassador Sarek," greeted the woman politely nodding and giving a glance to the boy who hadn't said a word.

Sybok's eyes meet Sarek's. He was as stiff as his forefather, but somehow, not as much as his mother.

"Sybok," said Sarek to draw his attention. "We shall leave."

His name it sounded like a mispronounced word coming from a man who never cared enough to associate with him. Sybok openly stared at him like if he would not have seen a Vulcan in his whole life —Regardless, being one himself— and thanked the counselor displaying his best Vulcan façade as a subtle mockery of the gesture Sarek gave before to the woman.

The transportation unit took less than thirty minutes to arrive to the point the shuttle would take them back to Vulcan.

The driver politely indicated they were already at the intended destination.

A wild idea crossed his mind while he saw Sarek waiting, standing next to the vehicle with Sybok's blue luggage in the right hand. He saw a young man walking towards them, in that moment, Sybok exited the transportation, shoved Sarek and rushed out to meet the stranger wearing an expression of despair, "Please, help me. I was kidnapped by that man!"

He pointed out at Sarek and added dramatically, "I don't even know him."

"Ambassador…"

"Excuse his behavior, Mr. Langdon," called him once he approached the scene with a lifeless monotone.

Sybok quickly desisted when the young man reacted confused, not sure what to say in response.

"I'm Sybok," he said when the young human man finally relaxed his posture, when Sybok looked at him with curious eyes. "Are you a human?"

The human slowly nodded, uncertain.

"He is," replied Sarek dryly, but Sybok was not talking to him so he didn't say anything back. "We shall depart now, Sybok."

"Everything is ready, Ambassador."

The shuttle they boarded resembled nothing the one that brought him there three years ago.

Obviously, he was an important individual. At least, enough to have an assistant following him everywhere.

The fact that Sarek's assistant was a human didn't go unnoticed, which was sort of surprising since the average Vulcan would prefer be surrounded, exclusively, by other Vulcans.

He took seat next to a crystal clear window alongside his father's assistant who was still nervous for his presence.

Perhaps, the strict demeanor of his father was the cause. He was aware how severe Vulcans tended to be and pretty often, other species felt pressured to display their best behavior in front of them.

Sybok sighed giving a last look to the Terran moon that was his home for the last years. In three days they would reach Vulcan, where he would be trapped for an undetermined time and he wasn't eager.

The cold and boring Terran moon had proven to be warmer than Vulcan in Sybok's eyes.

Thinking about his life along his friends made him sad, but refrained to show any of that. He wouldn't display feelings to his absent father. He didn't deserve anything from him neither his words nor respect. He wouldn't be cooperating to make the situation easier to him. He had no right to appear out of the nowhere and take him to his house wherever his father's instinct finally hit.

"Sybok—"

"I'm not talking to you."

Sarek lifted an eyebrow and nodded, replying expressionless, "Very well."

The shuttle departed and they left, for Sybok's sorrow.


	2. The Voyage Back Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sybok isn’t happy to be back on Vulcan, he’s certain he doesn’t belong among Sarek’s family and escapes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made up this location, Kov means ‘Rock’ and Suk'muzh means ‘Lake’ in Vulcan. The timing, it takes Sybok to get into all of this fictional places, is kind of based on real life places I have been.

**Monday**

After a long trip from the small Terrain moon to Vulcan, he was sick of the darkness and quietness of space.

In three days, he already knew more about the human assistant of his father, than Sarek himself.

He remained firm when he stated he wouldn't be talking to Sarek by any means. Thus, every single time the Vulcan tried to interact with him, Sybok pretended he didn't listen or that nothing was said.

The only thing he regretted, it was the fact that the poor human was uncomfortable to be trapped in a shuttle in the middle of familiar drama. Fortunately for all of them, Sarek desisted in pursuing any direct communication after Sybok's open rejection.

Sybok exhaled exasperated because the wave of heat that hit him once he stepped out of the shuttle.

The punishing Vulcan sun resembled so much benevolent in his memories, being back was not exciting at all and he felt as lost as if he were a foreign citizen arriving to the planet. Two transportation units arrived and his new human acquaintance got inside one of them while Sarek told him they'd take the other one. He sighed, taking seats in the opposite extreme, to remain as far as possible from Sarek.

The red and yellowish deserted landscape of Vulcan felt foreign in Sybok's eyes.

The heat entering through the window of the transportation made him realize he was trapped there and, for many reasons, that thought didn't feel well.

Sybok was a full Vulcan, but he no longer felt part of them.

The emotionless demeanor, the flamboyant fashion sense and the preference to that horrible bowl cut slowly took him away.

The only time he was in Shi'kahr, was when his grandfather took him there for a motive he no longer remembered. He wanted to run away and go after his mother wherever she was, he would even prefer to return back to live with the stiff family of T'Rea.

A crude sense of undecipherable emotions filled his chest, more than miss his mother, he felt anger towards her as much as against Sarek, if not more.

Why she had to go under the Kolinahr now? Was she even worried for his well-being in the slightest? Would he see her ever again during his lifetime? Why even bother his biological father instead of leaving him on the boarding school?

Sybok stared in awe to the house once they arrived.

It was like his friend Naann's house in Andoria; egregious and lavish, but had a minimalist design because Vulcans preferred simplistic styles in modern constructions. Still, somehow it was logical to wear the most over-the-top outfits out there.

He noticed Sarek's eyes and started to walk.

He didn't need his help at all.

Sybok would have tried to take his luggage off Sarek's hand, but that would acknowledge his existence so he didn't.

* * *

**[…]**

* * *

Amanda was nervous.

She had no idea what to expect, but after Sarek's ex appeared one day at their front door to speak with both of them, she was ready for everything.

T'Rea was the most severe Vulcan she had ever met. Thereby, hearing her telling them she needed Sarek to assume the permanent custody of their child because she would go under the Kolinahr and her family no longer could take care of him with a cold voice, was horrifying.

Sarek was reluctant because of her, but Amanda felt offended for his doubts. Sybok was only a child and had no fault. In addition, Sarek was his biological father. She felt sad for the boy. He had basically no one in his life besides Sarek, who had been an absent father until that moment.

Sarek had said the child had been in a boarding school at the Terran Moon for the last three standards years.

She suspected that T'Rea's family didn't want to deal with the boy anymore, because the chart Sarek had solicited from the academy documented in detail Sybok's preference for chaos, defiance and disregard to the authority. Surely the reason why he was sent there in the first place. Also, probably the result of lack of supervision, care and attention at home.

He had tried to escape in different ways during the first year at the boarding school, even had broken his arm in the process and, after that, the paper described all the times he was caught gambling, cheating or behaving badly. They had written an extensive note about his low grades and insistence for failing the Vulcan language class, despite being a native speaker.

 _"The student claims he doesn't speak the language and wrote unrelated Standard words in the space designated to the answers",_ wrote Sybok's Vulcan language teacher in his second year _, "His time for the presentation about a free election topic in Vulcan was used to let know the other students why the language is a 'waste of time'"._

Amanda had spent more time than Sarek reading the whole file.

They even added a parody story Sybok wrote about Surak that he called "Surak, The Vulcan Hippie" that the school found ' _very offensive towards Vulcan culture_ ' and a remarkably pejorative final project essay Sybok called "Surak's so done with you all being so unoriginal" in which he thoughtfully ranted about Vulcans being "a bunch of Surak's _wannabes_ and copycats" and assured that Surak "wouldn't like an entire planet copying his looks".

He got detention for that one and the Counselor only added a note stating how unusual and consistently disrespectful was Sybok's attitude towards his own culture. "I thought you all had a sense of humor. This is very Vulcan of you," Counselor Tlok wrote, quoting what allegedly Sybok had said and even Amanda could notice she was astonished by the blatant disregard.

" _Sybok continues to display inappropriate and deliberately disrespectful behavior when it comes to his home planet or any related topic. He has shouted "You all need Surak" during a lecture about pre-reform Vulcan and has exited the classroom without permission"._

Every single time a topic related to his planet or people came across, he would be deliberately inappropriate.

Nonetheless, she had the theory, none of them had actually tried to comprehend him in the slightest. She had read a paper he wrote during his early second year about the flaws of logic in the Vulcan culture where he actually tried to give valid criticism to some aspects, Amanda herself, found reasonable.

Not so long after that, he had turned into a troublemaker out of the nowhere. She didn't find a single note saying Sybok was disrespectful towards other alien cultures. In fact, he seemed to have low grades in most of the classes except the ones about foreign languages like Tellarite, Andorian and Standard.

Amanda was certain all his teachers had ignored the valid commentary Sybok had thrown in between all the mockery and acerbic insights.

She almost forgot about Michael and Spock, until they appeared in sight walking downstairs to join her. She could notice the expectation in their little faces. The clock on the wall indicated Sarek should be arriving with Sybok and she was feeling anxious.

"Spock, Michael, come here."

"When will father come home?"

"Soon."

Michael nodded.

The main door opening caught their attention. Sarek appeared entering the living room along a young boy, who could have been easily mistaken by a Terran kid if weren't for the pointy ears. He was wearing Terran styled clothing, which was surprising.

"Welcome, Sybok" Michael said, Amanda smiled to her and she could point out her enthusiasm to make feel Sybok welcomed there. "I'm Michael."

Spock stared at the older boy, curious and Sybok smiled to him, which turned his curiosity into utter confusion.

"Thank you, Michael."

"I'm Spock," said the little boy in a formal tone, that felt friendly coming from him, but arrogant from Sarek. Sybok felt sympathetic towards him, he was in the process to becoming a boring adult just like his father and that was sad.

"Hi, Spock."

"And I'm Amanda. You're welcome," Amanda said with a subtle smirk on her lips.

"Nice to meet you," Sybok said and he meant it.

Sybok had expected a different kind of greeting, a cold and distant one. He was ready to hate his father's family and he wanted to extend the same resentment towards them, but they had no fault and they seemed kind-hearted people. The little kids were eager to meet him despite their formal attitude and the human woman was lovely. He couldn't not wonder why someone like her would marry a cold-hearted Vulcan robot like Sarek. They had so little in common in his opinion.

"Your assigned room is upstairs," Sarek interjected, standing next to Sybok.

A long minute of silence passed. Sybok didn't move and Amanda, as well as the children, were confused.

Sarek glanced at Sybok and then, back to Amanda, finally saying, "The child is ignoring me as a mild form of defiance and rejection for the recent events."

Amanda nodded and asked, "Would you like to see your room, Sybok?"

"Very much, Amanda. _Oh! My suitcase_ ," Sybok said, showing fake surprise, like if the suitcase magically appeared next to him when in reality it was because Sarek pulled it all the way into the residence. Amanda, Sybok and the kids went upstairs leaving Sarek alone in the living room.

* * *

**[…]**

* * *

Sybok didn't go downstairs for dinner.

His plan to avoid Sarek was the only thing he was certain about the entire situation.

His new sister and brother offered to show him the whole house, Amanda had assured that he was comfortable and he recognized how much effort they had put in.

Sybok stood up, glancing around the room and then, to his suitcase, thinking how much clothing was necessary for a trip back to the house of his mother's family.

Looking through the crystal clear window, Sybok calculated how far he could get without the servants noticing his attempt to escape. Then, he recognized a member of the security staff walking around in the darkness and knew that he wouldn't be successful escaping at that moment.

In addition, he had no money to buy a ticket to get there, he didn't know where it was located the local shuttle station and needed a permission to travel alone. He repressed the impulse to try anyway, because the probabilities of failure were significantly higher and that would reveal his intentions to run away.

He was angry and upset with every single adult had ever been in charge of him.

None of them had put any effort in his opinion. Eventually, they had quitted, which deeply made him question all they had established as the correct life path was actually rightful.

After being sent to the boarding school, Sybok had spent the first three months there strictly following the school's regulations and relaying on the idealized image of Surak he had made up in his mind.

He tried to become like his mother and buried his emotions to the situation; meditating, reading, relying on Surak, reading again, meditating, thinking… He spent days questioning what exactly he had done to be sent abroad. Was he being disowned? Then, he began to slowly feel isolated and come to the conclusion he was given permission to do what he wanted to do. Sybok felt as T'Rea, Sarek, his relatives —from both sides— and Vulcan failed him, so he had no obligation of any kind to comply with their expectations.

The disagreement with the views about what it was considered the proper way to manage emotions, pushed him to search for alternative modes to bring inner peace to himself. Sybok refrained to vocalize his views until his mother called him to talk about his attempts to escape. The following week after that call, he quitted trying to obey and fulfill the expectations of individuals who were not interested at all in his well-being.

He took off his shoes, lying on the bed while watching the ceiling.

Sybok breathed deeply, holding back the tears, realizing how much he missed his mother and his friends.

* * *

**[…]**

* * *

**Tuesday**

The next morning, Amanda, Sarek and the kids were downstairs having breakfast. He sprawled on the floor of his room hearing them talk downstairs until Sarek left to the embassy.

He didn't want to see him.

The boy opened the door carefully, looking at both sides of the hall before walking to the stairs. It wasn't exactly uncomfortable, but Sybok felt he didn't belong among them, like his presence was disrupting their lives in some way he couldn't explain.

"Good morning, Sybok," Amanda greeted once he appeared in sight, which seemed sincere to Sybok.

He felt kind of bad to intend to leave. In another life, he would be more than glad to stay, but he belonged to another place.

He _had_ to leave.

"Good morning."

A human woman put a plate with two square-shaped pieces of what he thought it was some kind of bread with syrup in front of him. Michael should have seen the curiosity in his eyes because, she said, "Those are waffles."

"Oh."

 _Tasty_ , he thought.

"When will you return home, Amanda?" asked Michael to Amanda.

"At the afternoon."

Sybok stared in silence, sipping juice of a Terran fruit.

"The embassy needs a hand with human guests," Amanda explained to Michael. Then, her eyes meet his and Sybok didn't know what to say. "Can you take care of them, Sybok? I'll be back really soon."

"Sure," he nodded instantly and glaring at Michael and Spock.

The three kids saw Amanda walking towards the main door and Sybok knew that would be the way he would escape back to his real home, the only one he knew. The security staff would intervene and catch him if he tried to sneak from the window in the middle of the night and things would be utterly different if he were granted permission to leave the house… but how? How he would find a motive to go outside without suspicion? He still had to work on that part of the plan. In the meantime, he ate the delicious Terran _waffles_ he was offered as first meal.

"Would you like to play chess with us?" Spock's voice made its way to his mind, drawing his attention back to reality.

"No, thanks. I'm pretty bad, I'll just see."

"Very well."

* * *

**[…]**

* * *

**Wednesday**

Sybok was grateful to found money inside the Surak's teachings book he kept during his three years at the academy.

Of course, money there was kind of useless, a symbolic token of his victory over his peers at the fun, but sadly forbidden games of chance.

The mental bucket list he had done about the things he required to leave were now two, instead of three; he needed Sarek's permission and localize the station where he would take transportation.

The information Sybok required was easier to find than expected. The magic of the internet came to solve his questions.

The local shuttle station was twenty-six kilometers away from the house, he had enough money —Courtesy of gambling— and the next week's schedule of all transportations with his intended destination.

The idea of faking Sarek's signature in a permission ended up being discarded once he thought it more thoughtfully. Sybok knew he would have to be creative avoiding the controls or die trying.

Sybok was counting the credits he hid inside his copy of _The teachings of Surak_.

According to the information he had obtained through the internet, he was able to afford his freedom. Regardless, he still had to plan all his steps carefully to not fail and be caught. He was good improvising solutions, but he was aware that he wouldn't be running away of a common individual and his family. Sarek was an ambassador and he surely had enough money and people working for him to know that it wouldn't be easy.

First, he had to find an excuse to get somewhat close to the station, because escaping through the window was pointless and needed a greater margin of time until they found out.

The average waiting for a transportation departure was every two hours due to the amount of traffic in the summer and buying it previously wasn't a smart choice. Sarek, Amanda or any adult would easily find out that and the whole plan would get ruined. Thus, he had to buy the ticket there.

"Sybok, end meal is ready," little Spock said through the door.

"I'll be there in a minute."

* * *

**[…]**

* * *

**Thursday**

Being ready was essential.

Sybok knew that the opportunity he was expecting could show up anytime soon. He counted his credits twice before put them in the blue wallet Sol had given him as a birthday gift the last year. Also, he prepared a light bag with two changes of clothing and a pair of shoes.

Would it work? _He had no idea._

The only way to know was trying and he was determined.

* * *

**[…]**

* * *

**Friday**

**12:34 a.m.**

Three standard days passed since he decided to leave when the opportunity finally showed up. It was Friday on earth, his favorite day. Amanda was determined to make him feel welcome. She had invited him to go along with her to the alien district, three kilometers apart from his intended destination, but he would have to manage to get there in time.

He never saw a place as diverse like the Alien district in Vulcan, glancing around the streets was like being back in the Terran moon. Sybok was fascinated with the amount of people from other planets, hearing them speaking the native languages of his friends made him miss them so much, but he kept that for himself.

"Amanda," Sybok started, uncertain and doubtful if would be appropriate to ask what he desired to know, "Why are you living on Vulcan?"

Amanda smiled softly and he knew she didn't belong there as much as he. The logical questions about what had been the thought process of Sarek to marry an openly emotional being as Amanda began to run.

"It was the most logical option."

"This planet is not adequate for humans," he stated.

Amanda thought about it for a long minute.Both of them knew Sybok wasn't talking about the extreme hot weather, "I know, but earth wasn't adequate for us."

_Was she referring to his father and her?_

"Sybok."

He turned to see her.

"You _are_ welcomed here," Amanda reiterated.

"Thank you."

Amanda was preoccupied buying a midday meal in the food court when Sybok sneaked to buy a hat and a cheap pair of sunglasses and he quickly returned to Amanda's side.

When they finished their meal, Amanda suggested it would be useful to get him new clothes for the summer in Vulcan to what he wanted to reply he already had comfortable clothing. Probably she was talking about getting him 'Vulcan' outfits, the ones Sarek would approve, like with Michael and Spock.

After twelve minutes in the store, Sybok announced he would go to the bathroom and left, giving an excited Amanda a last glance. The egregious central clock indicated it was already 1:55 p.m. and he knew that it was the perfect situation and timing to attempt his escapade, the conditions had aligned to his benefit and he had to recognize that it was his opportunity. He walked around until he found a bathroom to change his clothing. He entered the cubicle and changed his T-shirt and trouser for something more average, fixing his hair to look messy.

He exited the lavatory, directly to a staff and workers' door in the opposite side of the mall, walking really close to great groups of distracted people and tourists.

* * *

**[…]**

* * *

**3:12 p.m.**

**Shi'kahr's transportation station**

Fifteen eternal minutes passed until the transportation arrived to the transportation station.

He adjusted the human styled hat that covered his ears, hoping his messy bowl haircut and the cheap tinted sunglasses he bought would hide his upswept eyebrows before exiting the transportation and was especially careful to stay near to the bunch of over excited human young tourists like if he were part of their group, using them as a human shield to avoid being recognized by the cameras at the entrance.

He had spent more time than expected because he wanted to avoid any transportation unit with Vulcans, other species were less careful and tended to lost track of their surroundings.

Sybok was tall for a kid of his age and the amount of young tourists vacating in Vulcan during summer was something he would use in his favor.

The cold air hit him once he stepped in, the place was a turmoil, but buying a ticket to his intended destination took him less than expected. The woman in charge didn't request an ID or any sort of permission as he thought. She only examined him through the green tinted glass with indifference as he smiled, waiting for the ticket and awkwardly asking her if they had no seats left for the time and place he was requesting.

He bought a ticket for the municipality of Kov, that was pretty close to his actual hometown, Suk'muzh, because he knew once they found out he had run away, they would target all the transportations with that destination or worse, they would patiently would wait there to send him back to Shi'kahr.

He would take another transportation for thirty minutes from Kov to Suk'muzh and if everything was, according to the plan he wrote in his imaginary mental journal, he would be in his house around 10:00 at night.

Relieved, he took a seat next to a bunch of tourist in the terminal, waiting while trying to look relaxed and just another casual tourist.

"I'm done, I don't even know what these drawings mean," An unknown man said defeated.

"Why the hell you asked for a phone in Vulcan, Mark?" A woman said, the clear nuisance strain in her voice. "It's been forty-five minutes."

"I didn't want to look stupid in front of that guy!"

Sybok turned to see a woman staring with disapproval at a man, who was clueless clicking to the screen of a phone in his hands, wearing an obvious expression of absolute confusion.

"Use a translator! How are we supposed call to the hotel? Did you think about that?"

"Well, I'm sorry, Marcia. But, I can't do anything since I have no connection or signal because I can't even figure how the damn keyboard works," he said. "This thing doesn't even have a keyboard in any human language!"

"Let me try."

"Okay, okay. Just relax."

Sybok saw the man handing the phone to the woman.

"Do you need help?"

The couple turned to see him and he smiled, to convey calm and because he was nervous.

"I understand Vulcan, I can help you with your phone," The boy repeated.

"Yes, please!"

The woman, Marcia, extended the phone to Sybok and took a seat next to him, eager to witness how Sybok unlocked the phone, went to the setting section and switched the keyboard and the language from Vulcan to Standard.

"Thank you so much!" The woman looked the phone like if she had never seen one in her life, he was astonished by how grateful the couple was for a simple and meaningless action like that. "I'm Marcia and this guy here is Mark."

The man waved his hand and Sybok nodded.

"Hi, I'm… Daniel."

"Well, thank you, Daniel. I thought we would've to walk by foot to our hotel, but you just saved us," Mark finally spoke.

"So, you're from Earth?"

"Yes, I'm here visiting a Vulcan friend in Kov," Sybok said.

"Really? We're going to go there too. Mark wanted to visit an old temple there," Marcia explained excited. All the frustration she was experimenting minutes ago faded away as soon as the problem got solved and Sybok was surprised by the versatility of human mood swings.

"Would you like to eat something with us in the food court, Daniel? I'm hungry and you helped us, so I'd like to buy you something to say thanks," Mark proposed and Marcia nodded with enthusiasm.

"Sure," he answered smiling.

Sybok and the couple spent the last twenty-seven minutes left before boarding the transportation to Kov eating, chatting and having a great time. Sybok lied and said he just turned eighteen, but the humans seemed to believe him without any further questions. Even, Mark added he made his first trip off-world at the same age along his old college friends.

A hand on his shoulder made his heart stop, slowly turned his head and saw the face of a mature man and his badge shining because of the sunset in the white uniform he was wearing.

_It was over._

"Yes?" Sybok managed to articulate, his mouth went dry at once and he wanted to run.

"I believe this is yours," The man said, giving him the old wallet where he had all the credits he brought with him.

A quick look to the badge let him know the man was a driver, not a member of the security staff. His heart started to work slower with that realization. It took him all his control to not seen scared in front of them, the man was unaware of the situation as well as the human couple.

"Thank you, sir!"

"I bought you a soda, honey," said Marcia, returning from a trip to the vending machine.

"Be careful in future, son," warned the man, waving his hand at Marcia as a greeting, a gestured she returned.

"I'll be."

The man left and they continue his meal. Sybok had lost appetite, but still ate the fried potato chips Marcia bought for him while discreetly glancing around. A Vulcan man in a black robe was walking around. He saw him twice with the corner of his eye when he went to the bathroom and when he stood in one corner of the entrance with a PADD in his right hand looking all over the tables. He was certain they were searching for him. Sybok sipped his canned soda. There were already three Vulcan males in black robes and one of them was the guy he saw his first night in Sarek's house. An image of himself being dragged back to his father's house came across, filling Sybok with overwhelming anxiety.

 _Stay calm_ , he said to himself.

The cold voice of a woman announced the transportation to Kov would departure soon and the passengers should aboard.

"Well, let's go."

His new human acquaintances began to take his belongings. Sybok did the same and they walked together to the gate while Sybok talked with Mark about the Terran city of Paris in France, not because they were nice people—which they were, of course—, but because he knew that Amanda surely had found out his disappearance and Sarek's security team was already searching for a lonely kid nearby the mall when he had been seen for the last time.

Sybok passed centimeters, close to Sarek's security team, they didn't even bat an eye in his direction and he smiled out of a mixture of nervousness and a victorious feeling.

* * *

**[…]**

* * *

**5:25 p.m.**

Amanda panicked when she noticed Sybok was gone.

That trip to the bathroom, took him twenty minutes. Somehow, he had managed to avoid the security team that followed them around every single time she, Sarek or the kids were outside their home. Thus, it was logical to assess that Sybok had fled away or had been abducted in front of her eyes and under her care.

She called Sarek immediately.

The security team was searching all over the mall while she left to meet Sarek at their home. She was about to cry when Sarek appeared in sight, calm and collected as always.

"Amanda."

"Sybok's gone, Sarek. I don't know where did he go…I—" Amanda gulped, breathing heavily and getting closer to Sarek. "What if he was _kidnapped_?"

"Sybok was not kidnapped, Amanda. The security team found out he exited through designated areas for staff and workers," he stated in a cold voice.

Amanda was horrified to think where he should be in that moment and how far he was able to go. She felt a stab of guilt in her chest. She and Sarek had learned about the escape attempts of Sybok during his first year at the academy and had not thought that he surely would try one again in Vulcan. Counselor Tlok made very clear that Sybok wasn't happy with the idea of leaving the school and going back to Vulcan. So, it was logical to expect another situation like that.

"So…"

Sarek nodded, calmly.

"He escaped."

"What are we gonna' do?"

"The security team is already searching for him. The surveillance cameras at the mall were not very useful. Nonetheless, a bag with the clothing he was wearing was found and I believe it was voluntary."

"Lady Amanda, Ambassador," interrupted a young Vulcan man from the threshold of the living room.

Amanda and Sarek turned to see him, while Amanda swiped her tears.

"We have noticed a part of Sybok's clothing and some personal belongings are not in his assigned room, as well as two pair of shoes are missing."

"It is very likely he is intending to leave Shi'kahr. Varith, notify the Transportation station now."

"A team has arrived there. I have provided a picture of the child and the station has been notified fifteen minutes ago."

"Where did he go? How? He had no money at all."

"Transportation units with Suk'muzh as intended destination are being checked."

"Thank you," Amanda said.

"Why we didn't see that coming? Counselor Tlok said he didn't want to return to Vulcan," said Amanda in a quiet voice, just to Sarek to hear.

"You are being—"

"Don't you dare to say it. There was a pattern and we didn't do anything to prevent it."

"Sybok will be found and returned here," he said in a flat tone. "We shall wait."

Amanda outright frowned, Sarek didn't even blink.

"No, he will be forced to. He didn't want to be here, if you haven't notice. What are you gonna do to prevent it? He doesn't feel good here. People doesn't run away from places they like."

"Amanda," Sarek started, "According to Sybok's chart, the one you are quoting, he eventually adapted after multiple failed attempts of escaping."

Sarek was distressed, even though Amanda couldn't sense it through their bond.

She was right.

They should have expected Sybok fleeing away as he had done at the academy. Nonetheless, he had no clue how to proceed with a boy who was determined to not talk to him or recognize his existence. The whole situation was beginning to overwhelming him as well and Amanda's words put additional stress on his shoulders.

"It's not about that, Sarek. He's a kid and he shouldn't have to surrender to the fact he'll have to live with us," said Amanda, upset.

Sybok was only a child, a confused child trying to hold tightly the few things he had taken for granted during childhood.

Sarek's indifference was making her angry. She had read the whole file the school sent and no one seemed to care for the child's well-being. Sybok's behavior was a sign of other things, not only an adolescent need for rebellion or defiance of authority.

It was a call for attention and a continuous search for preserving the fragile stability he had in his life.

"You're his father, you can do better."

He nodded, giving him the reason and left the room.

* * *

**[…]**

* * *

**6:00 p.m.**

Boarding was taking more time and he was nervous enough to feel it as eternal.

Mark's old-fashioned watch stated that it was six o'clock.

The trip back to Kov would take approximately two hours and he was running out of time. Sarek's security team was already inside the building.

The walk to the gate revealed how many of them arrived to take him back to that house, the main entrance was being monitored so he had one and only option; successfully leave in a transportation unit or being caught.

"For how long we'll have to wait?" Mark said, not so pleased.

"Complaining won't help to make the waiting any shorter, Mark."

"Hum."

Sybok was growing impatient, as well as the other passengers, but things were getting slower because of him.

When they finally boarded, turned out his seat was in the same row Marcia and Mark had been assigned, they were happy and Sybok sighed relieved once the driver took his position.

"You seem very happy for this trip. I was just like that during my first one," Mark pointed out.

"I am, very much."

But the smile faded away when two tall Vulcans stepped inside the transportation unit. One of them walked towards in between the seats, slowly alternating between the screen of his PADD and the passengers while his partner stayed blocking the only door.

His eyes covered with the pink tinted glasses met the severe black eyes of the Vulcan man, but Sybok didn't show any sign of visible distress.

"How old are you?" The man said in a slightly accented Standard.

"Eighteen," Sybok said, clear and relaxed mimicking his human friend's accent in Standard as he had done the last two hours, but shivering by the inside.

"Hum. Is there a problem, _sir_?" Mark asked, the obvious bewilderment in his voice mixed with an evident concern.

The stoic Vulcan examined the human's facial expression for an eternal minute. He was about to speak again to Sybok when the driver interjected in an almost perfect native Vulcan accent, " _What's happening here? It's not getting sooner, if you can hurry up, we can leave today_."

" _We are searching for a missing child_ ," explained in Vulcan the man who was standing in the door. " _He got lost nearby and we have information that indicates he probably is trying to leave Shi'kahr_."

" _Do you see any child here? Me neither_ ," The driver said acerbic, gesturing the passengers who weren't even paying attention to the exchange.

The man with the PADD saw the screen, then Sybok again and exchanged stares with his partner, who shook his head. Sybok was two minutes away from passing out of nervousness, but he evoked the calm and stoic presence of his mother to stay in check.

" _Do you mean this young man here_?" Sybok almost had a heart attack when the driver pointed his direction and snorted. " _He's with this couple here. I saw them at the food court, they're traveling together_."

"Very well," answered the Vulcan in Standard looking at Sybok and then, back to the impatient driver who was clearly annoyed by them. "My apologies."

When Sarek's security team members left and the driver finally made the transportation unit move, initiating his voyage back home, the real one. Sybok wanted to laugh hysterically.

He had won. He had succeeded and Sarek had _lost_.


	3. Reality Check

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sybok’s arrival to Suk'muzh is not what he expected. Sarek goes after Sybok and the boy he finally let his intentions clear to his father; he won’t cooperate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special shout out to tojanewayandbeyond and ada1987 for leaving a comment in the previous chapter :)  
> There’s only a chapter left before this story is over. The next part of this series might be called Empathy and it’s focused on Amanda and Sarek as a couple with the three kids living a background adventure to explore the preexisting family dynamic between Sarek, Amanda, Michael and Spock.

**Friday**

**Kov’s Transportation station**

**9:19 p.m.**

Sybok admitted with pride how quick he was improvising.

The arrival to the station in Kov was slightly different. The security staff and ticket window personal already had his picture.

Fortunately, they would have been provided three potential pictures the boarding school had taken, where he was younger and committed to use the traditional haircut style to appear in the yearbook as “Surak” with moderated success.

However, risking the whole plan and the success he achieved to save a couple of credits was not smart, either. Thus, considering the fact that the station didn’t mind someone buying a ticket for a group of people, purchasing the ticket from a young human tourist who had bought his ticket for the wrong time was the most logical option.

Sybok heard him arguing in the trip to Kov with a woman.

She was angry at him because he bought the ticket for that night, instead of one to three days after their arrival to Kov.

Sybok would have to avoid the controls while waiting for the unit for an hour longer than his original plan, but would be worth it. He approached them when they all exited the transportation unit and the couple finally accepted the deal without inconvenient. The woman only wanted the original amount of credits even though Sybok offered to pay them the double of the price.

The waiting was easier the second time; he saw his picture displayed on a screen at the station indicating he was missing and he was right.

They were using the yearbook photos where he looked like an average Vulcan kid.

Sarek’s personal security team arrived when he was leaving, he saw them walking inside the building through the huge mirror glass decorating the station, but the peace that knowing they were so far from catch him, made him board his transportation unit with a confident smile in the face.

* * *

**[…]**

* * *

**10:36 p.m.**

**Suk'muzh’s station**

Exit Suk'muzh’s station without being captured would be a real challenge.

Sarek’s team were all over the place.

They knew he was from Suk’muzh.

It was logical to believe he was leaving to get there.

He was aware of that and he needed a way to blend in, with Mark and Marcia away, he complied with the profile of a lonely kid his father’s team was looking for.

Sybok exhaled.

He had minutes until he would have to enter the building where it was one of those men with black robes watching the flow of passengers. First of all, he put a jacket before exiting the unit, out of the surveillance cameras reach. His heart was going faster, he gulped nervous and less enthusiastic. 

_Was the end?_

A swear word interrupted his thread of thoughts. He turned his head to find an old Tellarite lady struggling with her luggage. Sybok walked towards her, wearing a kind smile on his juvenile face and the woman seemed confused.

“Do you need help, ma’am?” He said in perfect Tellarite, courtesy of Sol’s efforts at the academy.

Sybok and the woman chatted all the way out of the station while he helped her with her suitcase.

She was complaining about a lot of things and he was delighted to hear her voice ranting about Vulcan’s weather. Especially, when he walked among a bunch of Sarek’s staff member who were targeting the wrong people. He saw them stopping a small group of young Vulcans who were as tall as he was a few meters away from the main door.

“Hello,” A Vulcan man greeted with the _ta’al_ , interceding on his way out of the building. “We are looking for a missing person.”

“I don’t speak Vulcan, sir,” answered Sybok mimicking an uncertain accent of non-native speaker of Standard. 

The man exchanged a look with his partner. Sybok knew they wouldn’t ask him to remove his hat or glasses, they were too Vulcan to even try it. Such action was completely inappropriate and he was a kid.

Sybok noticed the hostility of the Tellarite woman in waves towards the Vulcan man.

“Can we leave? We need to take a transportation and it’s getting late."

He stepped aside and Sybok started to walk with the woman’s suitcase in the hand to the entrance for what he felt as an interminable path.

The place was crowded and his father’s security aides were among the turmoil, searching for any young Vulcan that resembled him in the slightest.

He passed them all with a blatant display of raw happiness in his face while hearing the old lady ranting once again, feeling indestructible and victorious.

He took a transportation to his final destination.

* * *

**[…]**

* * *

**11:03 p.m.**

**Suk'muzh, Sybok’s childhood house**

The transportation stopped right in front of his house.

His grandparents were as the average Vulcans.

He never was close to them to feel special affection, but they had taken care of him during a great part of his childhood and be sent abroad made him appreciate that.

He entered stepped in the property.

It was closed and no lights or noise was coming from the inside, which was unusual.

Something was off.

Finally, he broke a window and got inside.

Sybok carefully avoided getting injured by the glass and walked to the huge living room.

It was empty, and a feeling of hurt and abandonment hit him once he walked all over the house, realizing there was no one living there anymore.

The only furniture left was the one it was attached in some way to the structure of the house. The main hall walls didn’t display the few familiar pictures of his grandparents and the rooms were dusty, that meant no one had been there in a while.

Sybok blinked in the darkness.

His heart was pounding so fast he thought he would pass out.

Where did they go? Why did they leave him?

He would rather prefer to find rejection upon his arrival than an empty house. In some way, he felt they had left because of him.

Sybok was pretty much aware he wasn’t a wanted child.

His parents had been extremely selfish and his sole existence brought great shame to his mother’s family due to the archaic ways of Vulcan society.

He never shared a mental bond with them, the only bond he ever had developed by its own and eventually faded away.

Defeated and exhausted because of the long trip and mentally drained, Sybok sprawled on the cold and dusty floor of the room where his grandparents used to meditate, like if that insignificant action would bring the mental relief he needed so much to bear with the absolute abandonment of every single person in his life.

Sadly, he concluded that strangers were more disposed to accept him with all his flaws than his own flesh and blood. Naann, Daniel and Sol had done much more for him than his mother, his biological father and Vulcan as a whole.

He breathed in and out, but no relief came of it.

He was shaking and his eyes were watery.

The anger and fear filled his entire being as he felt in the edge of falling apart.

He knew that Sarek should be arriving anytime soon with his whole squad, escaping had wretchedly failed, because his objective was not challenge his authority, it was going back to the only place in Vulcan he used to think he belonged to.

“ _Sybok_.”

He turned to see who was talking to him.

In the doorframe, he saw the idealized image of Surak standing flawless, looking perfect and absolutely calm.

The epitome of the perfectness and Vulcan rightfulness in the house of his grandparents? He was dead for sure, so he should be a product of his mind.

“What are you doing here? You’re dead and if you’re a ghost, don’t you have better things to do?”

“Anger is illogical, Sybok. Logic will bring peace when emotion—” 

“Fuck you, Surak,” he answered, laughing remembering when Daniel taught him the word. It was short, but effective to show disgust towards something or someone and no amount of meditation was as refreshing as expressing it out loud. “ _Fuck you_. You’re like that boy who accused me for gambling, you don’t participate, but don’t allow others to have fun, either. Live and let live, have you ever heard of that, Surak?”

“Human principles are hardly effective for us. The Vulcan nature is different; humans can allow themselves the indulgence of embracing emotions because it would not overcome them.”

"Hum."

“Pre-reform Vulcans allowed their emotions and immediate instincts to guide their way of living. Peace is essential for progress and societal betterment and logic is the tool to maintain civility. Which is the only thing that keep us apart from animals.”

“You say it like if we were better in some way. We’re not, we never were, we never will.”

“Your assessment is entirely based in emotion, which often—”

“…leads to misguided conclusions. _I know!_ That’s what mother said.”

He stared at the ceiling and thought about T’Rea.

“Do you know what’s funny?”

The imaginary Surak sat on the floor next to Sybok, his face was impassible. His heart sank. He only had the hallucination of a dead man to hear him, no one else and that was sad.

“We have lost and acquired so many traits, but the emotions remain attached to our species,” Sybok started.

He shivered, it was getting colder and he regretted not bringing a better jacket for that trip.

“Sybok,” Surak called him in a soft voice. The boy looked at Surak’s illusion and he held back a laugh, thinking how amusing it was the fact that an entire planet copied his looks.

“ _Shut up_ , I’m not done,” Sybok said, whispering, his eyes still in the ceiling while taking off the glasses. “Don’t you think that means we need emotions? We even developed a mechanism to prevent us to embrace un-emotionalism and logic too close; The pon farr. That’s a huge ‘fuck logic’ from the mother nature. I believe they are supposed to exist and buried them, it’s harmful, I felt better expressing them.”

_Did he?_

“I did not advocate for un-emotionalism. That is a common misconception. Moderation is what has changed Vulcan society for the better. Moderation it’s what brought peace and stability to our planet.”

“It’s pathetic how we pretend to have evolved from our roots. My mother was forced to be a lifesaver for Ambassador Dumbass at some point and my grandparents didn’t even allow her to choose who would be her bondmate. Want it or not, she was trapped with him and had no right to do much about it. I wouldn’t call that tradition exactly _civilized_ , or what about sending kids to die in the desert? The galaxy, at least a great part of it, has already passed that part of their history and began to question their own cultural practices. Nonetheless, here we are… Because, it’s only _logical_ , it is _our_ way or any other excuse to not move on.”

He was angry at his mother, but he thought she was a victim of the Vulcan reticent for modern practices. Divorce was still frowned upon; they may have achieved warp capacity, but stayed trapped in the past. Knowing his grandparents willingly submitted T’Rea as an object to Sarek and expected her to spend a miserable life along a man as lame as he thought his father was, it was horrifying.

“When I was a kid, I used to think about a lot my biological father. Mother never spoke to me about him, I never asked either, but I thought that one day he would show up and we would be a traditional family,” Sybok gulped and continued, once Surak stayed quiet, “He never did. Despite mother was there most of the time, I’m old enough to notice that they both failed to me in almost every way. They chose you over me, as every other Vulcan adult in my life has done.”

Sybok rolled over to face his imaginary companion who was now standing in the doorframe and his perfectness annoyed him so much.

“You _are_ the ‘infallible’ logic my grandparents used to throw my mother to a lame man she didn’t even like, you are the indifference of my father and the one that took away my mother from me. You _are_ the Vulcan way, it’s all your fault.”

“Your emotions are preventing you to elaborate logical conclusions, Sybok.”

“Screw logic then. Why are you so obsessed with that? What is wrong about not being a logical emotionless robot?”

“Impulsiveness is present when we act upon emotions.” Surak gracefully walked around the room, while Sybok followed him with his eyes. “This is where volatile emotions have guided you, Sybok. Would you believe you would be successful? Is this escapade a logical move on your behalf or only a way to trouble Ambassador Sarek and show how displeased you are with the recent events?”

Sybok frowned. He didn’t want to be questioned by the machinations of his own mind.

“You’re the most annoying and boring imaginary dead man, I could have evoked to have this conversation. As a product of my mind, you should be on my side, don’t you think? You’re just telling me what Ambassador Dumbass would say.”

 _And mother, and everyone else_ , Sybok thought.

Surak turned his head to the entrance and started to walk away, he stopped and announced in a soft voice, “Sybok, they are here to collect you.”

“Are you gonna’ leave me too? It doesn’t surprise me.”

“It’s time to wake up, Sybok.”

* * *

**[…]**

* * *

**Saturday**

**2:01 a.m.**

Sarek arrived at Suk'muzh Station along three security aides.

They were trying to localize T’Rea’s family house and obtain the permission to enter to the residency and wait for Sybok’s arrival.

It was the most logical option and the most likely destination where the child would elect to go, it was the only house he had lived during his formative years in the care of his maternal relatives.

He was never close enough to T’Rea to know where his parents lived. The only thing he knew about them what that they had died while Sybok was off-world.

“The child has been found, Ambassador,” one of his aides said behind his back and Sarek turned to face him.

“What is his state?”

“He is uninjured and the accommodation arrangements you solicited are complete. He will arrive to the intended destination in thirty-two minutes.”

“Very well.”

“We shall leave.”

That being said, Sarek left the station to the hotel he had chosen to stay that night, because a long trip back to the capital would be detrimental to a distressed child.

T'Rea and Sarek were never compatible as a couple, not even as friends.

They had met because they were meant to be future bondmates once they reach adulthood. T'Rea was a beautiful and smart woman.

He had passed —and successfully survived— his firsts Pon farr along her. His feverish young self was determined to soothe the effects of the Pon farr without assistance.

Mostly, because he didn't want to be exposed in that way in front of someone who already perceived him as inferior. Pride and shame were the ones to blame for his outburst of stupidity. He had finally had to surrender to T'Rea. Sarek knew he was insufficient to her. His average abilities were unsatisfactory for her and a mind meld together wasn't as stimulant to her like it was for him.

Sybok was the consequence of a casual encounter.

Despite being aware they would never share a traditional marital life; they were committed in some sort of merely physical relationship with occasional chat about their personal lives.

That used to be their explicit agreement and both of them were fine with that.

However, Sarek began to get too involved and T'Rea felt he was acting too emotional for her taste, which ended up being a major difference between them.

She wanted different things in her life and he quickly knew how dissimilar they were from each other.

T'Rea was a powerful telepath.

The few times they had mind melded, Sarek felt her presence in his mind so many days after she ended the contact. He was weak in comparison, she had masterfully managed him and made him surrender to her so easily every single time during the last pon farr they spent together, that disturbed him to an extent he didn't want her around anymore. Although he had a very poor memory of that time, waking up felt utterly different than the other experiences. A physical relationship felt unsatisfactory for him.

The casual encounters were pleasurable, but something was missing and the pass of the time only highlighted how different they were as individuals. Their relationship ended after she informed him she wanted to pursue a committed life to logic.

Not so long after, Sarek was informed she was pregnant and T’Rea refused to allow any contact with her. Because that could be a major issue to her intentions to become a healer committed to Surak’s teachings if her parents asked her to marry him for the familiar honor.

Sarek could have done much that just accept that, but he didn’t and remained absent in Sybok’s life until that very precise moment when T’Rea showed up in his residency without invitation or prior notice.

T’Rea’s parents had died, his son was studying abroad and she was about to leave for a life in a temple. For that reason, she needed him to take permanent custody of the child and other arrangements. Sarek had doubted because of Amanda, but she immediately agreed and even argued with him when T’Rea left.

Sarek understood Sybok's rejection towards him. It was reasonable, but the course of action in regard of that had been _illogical_ in his view.

* * *

**[…]**

* * *

Sybok had little time to react before a Vulcan man in black robes was carrying him out of his childhood house.

His eyes fluttered in disbelief and he immediately started to fight back, falling to the ground and running away inside the residence. He was trapped easily and soon was in a transportation unit being held by two Vulcans, who didn’t change the expression on their faces once he started to scream nor tried to silence him.

When they arrived to the intended place, his throat ached of screaming and he failed to hold back his tears, starting to cry silently out of rage against everything.

He walked out by himself.

He was so emotionally drained and physically exhausted to run away only to cause trouble. In addition, those Vulcan strangers were only doing their job and he had no problem with them. The guilty of everything was Sarek, not them. Therefore, he willingly complied when they said that his father had arranged a hotel room to stay that night in Suk'muzh, instead of taking a long trip back to Shi’kahr immediately.

He saw Sarek standing in the lobby, waiting with a blank expression and his hands tucked behind his back.

Sybok eyed the reception and noticed how lavish the place was. It should be expensive for sure.

“Ambassador.”

“Varith,” he said in such a calm voice that make Sybok want to scream.

The man left. Suddenly, he regretted no to hide in his grandparent’s house.

“Sybok,” started Sarek and Sybok didn’t even glare at him, ignoring his presence, “We shall stay here.”

Sybok looked upward, acknowledging his existence for the first time since he had left the boarding school.

He was a mess, his hair was tossed, his clothing was dusty and his face was green flushed after half of an hour of screaming the top capacity of his lungs and crying.

Sarek gestured the way to the elevator and, feeling defeated in every single aspect, Sybok complied without saying anything.

Fortunately, it was empty and was spacious enough to maintain distance from his father. The boy’s eyes focused on the panel of buttons and the small screen indicating that the elevator was going up. He clicked a button and the elevator stopped moving. He exhaled and faced Sarek, who was stiff by his side.

“Amanda sent you, right?”

“No.”

He nodded, licking his dry lips. Sarek’s deep eyes were on Sybok. he didn’t turn to meet them.

“I know you solicited my chart to Counselor Tlok,” he began. “If you took time of your _busy_ life as Ambassador to read it, you know that I did not cooperate.”

Sarek remained silent and then added, “Certainly. However, you have been transferred to my custody and, as your legal guardian, I shall take the responsibility to educate you in the ways of our planet.”

Sybok snorted, mockingly.

“When we leave this elevator, you’ll stop existing again, so it’s bold of you to assume I will comply, _Sarek_ ,” the boy said. Calling him by his name was not exactly a rude move inside the Vulcan culture, but the tone set the implicit intention to be a disrespectful gesture towards Sarek.

“It was not a petition. You have no other choice; you live under my authority.”

“The other absent parents at least know they have no right to say a thing in their children’s lives,” he quickly said, sharp and with all the intention to bother him. He conveyed calm for himself and switched to the collected Vulcan façade, imitating Sarek’s form of speech, “The audacity is beyond my expectations, I am disappointed, but not surprised in the slightest. I shall inform you that your authority is nonexistent, therefore, you have no place to order me to do anything, Ambassador.”

“Emotion often dulls the capacity of choosing the most reasonable input, Sybok.”

“The point being…?”

“You had acted upon emotion. Your anger towards me prevents you of realizing that I am not an antagonizing figure.”

“You could have taken the easy way out of this and let me stay at the academy because it’s obvious that you can pay it…but, for some twisted reason you dragged me back to Vulcan.”

“It was a mutual decision your mother and I took in your best interest.”

“I suppose that is a coincidence that my best interest is usually what is more convenient for you both. Three years ago, it was in my best interest study abroad and, now, it is stay with you.”

“A deliberate conclusion based in emotion.”

“The fact that I allow myself to be emotional in regards to the situation, doesn’t invalidate the evident pattern on your course of action as my parents. Convenience prevails over logic in the decisions that has been made relating to me,” Sybok replied. “I’ll be clear. I don’t wanna be here as you can see, and I won’t cooperate because I don’t live under no one’s authority. Don’t pretend you care about me, you failed to even show up and now, you take me back to this stupid rock against my will, expecting me to accept it, and you want to pretend that you didn’t abandon me. Fuck that.”

“Refrain yourself from using inappropriate language.”

Sybok pressed the button again and the elevator started moving again. Sarek was going under his skin. He was even more unnerving than expected.

“Sybok—”

“I don’t wanna’ listen to you. I want to go back to my school, with my friends.”

“It is not possible,” declared Sarek, coldly.

“Then, this is gonna’ be the hard way for you. I’ll do whatever I want and you can’t stop me. I’ll escape again, and I go elsewhere, if you catch me, I’ll do it again and again, a thousand times if necessary. I have nothing to lose.”

“ _Then_ , arrangements shall be made to prevent that situation is you insist with this manner of proceeding,” Sarek said and although, he was perfectly collected, Sybok noticed the small strain in his tone. “I will advise cooperation. It is the logical option.”

Sybok looked back at Sarek in defiance, his father was declaring war and, of course, he would fight back.

“Go choke on Surak’s logical dick,” answered Sybok, with a plain expression, as if he were reciting a passage of Surak’s teachings. 

The doors of the elevator slipped, opening in floor number four.

“Time is over; you’ll stop existing now.


	4. The Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Special shout out to tojanewayandbeyond, ada1987 and Lyanna for leaving a comment. Also, to celeane, thefallenmutineer, tojanewayandbeyond, Stitch123 and all the guest readers for leaving kudos :)

Sybok knew Sarek stayed awake to look after him, he felt his inquisitive eyes observing him, expectantly. Sybok had declared his intentions to be a nuance in his life until he complied with his desires to be back in the academy, among the only group of people that ever extended actual affection towards him. He had held back the tears that threatened to fall while inside the elevator. Sybok couldn’t allow himself to be vulnerable in front of Sarek.

The next morning, he refused to eat because he wouldn’t accept anything from his father. The trip back to the capital was uncomfortable and felt endless. He remained seated looking through the window how the peaceful landscape of Suk'muzh disappearing until turning into Shi’kahr’s cosmopolitan view. Once again, he was leaving and trapped in the household of an unknown man with whom he had only in common his DNA and nothing else.

How he was supposed to leave behind all that used to be his life for the last three years? Sybok was tired of radical changes and stability was his only desire the time being. He had found peace by living among off-worlders. He had forced himself to find a balance and deal with his emotions. He eyed Sarek, who was distracted typing on his phone and looking him being so unaware of everything, made him feel enraged.

Feeling the boy’s eyes over him, Sarek turned to see him. Sybok looked away, returning to focus his attention back to the window for the rest of the trip without saying a word.

By the time they arrived, it was early in the morning and, no one was awake. Sybok had stayed inside his room with the door locked. Fortunately, his biology favored him, and he didn’t need to eat. He had been so preoccupied, planning his plan to escape during the first week, to even sent a message as he promised to his friends at the academy. He searched for his PADD and turned it on. The screen revealed new messages from them in their group chat.

He clicked the message and the screen displayed the entire conversation.

* * *

**Federation’s kiddos**

* * *

**Andorian King**

@ _Surak’s Copycat_ r u there?

**Terran Boi**

Let us know if you are still alive. @ _Tellarite space cowboy_ is preparing your funeral while we speak.

**Tellarite space cowboy**

>:(

**Terran Boi**

Sybooook

I’m still here :1

**Tellarite space cowboy**

How was your first week there?

AWFUL

**Andorian King**

We thought u were dead. why didn’t u answer? we were ready to arrange u a funeral

I tried to escape, tho.

**Terran Boi**

Daaaamn, we owe 20 bucks to sol.

what? did u bet about me?

**Andorian King**

yes, Sol said you’d escape as soon as you got there. Danny and I said it would take you like a month or so.

**Terran Boi**

Sorry, we’re bored and we miss u <3

**Tellarite space cowboy**

:)

I would feel offended if you didn’t, tbh.

Sorry for not replying your messages, I was busy trying to escape.

**Andorian King**

**_You_ **

_I would feel offended if you didn’t, tbh._

_Sorry for not replying your messages, I was busy trying to escape._

<3

**Tellarite space cowboy**

How far did you get?

Did u bet on that too?

**Tellarite space cowboy**

Nah, we’re just curious.

**Andorian King**

Spill the tea, we WANNA know.

**_Tellarite space cowboy_**

_How far did you get?_

I got to my mom’s house, but they caught me there.

**Terran Boi**

**_Andorian King_ **

_Spill the tea, we WANT to know._

I wanna hear the story, ngl.

In a nutshell, I escaped when I was at the mall and I bought a ticket to a place close to my actual hometown. It wasn’t as hard I thought it’d be, tho. ambassador dumbass went after me and well, it wasn’t difficult since he sent a whole damn Vulcan squad to find me, like… I was lucky they didn’t find me when I was in the mall.

**Tellarite space cowboy**

“Ambassador dumbass” lol I’m changing my dad’s contact like that.

Is he mad at you?

I don’t care. I’ll escape again

**Andorian King**

You sure? Not trying to be the fun police, but…

???

**Tellarite space cowboy**

Well, we don’t think that it’s the best, Sy.

**Terran Boi**

**_Tellarite_ space cowboy**

_Well, we don’t think that it’s the best, Sy._

A TELLARITE telling a VULCAN he shouldn’t fight back? I’m shook.

**_Tellarite space cowboy_ **

_Well, we don’t think that it’s the best, Sy._

Why? I thought you all were on my side :1

**Terran Boi**

We are, but… @ _Tellarite space cowboy_ you explain him.

**Tellarite space cowboy**

Ok.

We were thinking about telling you this, cause it’s obvious you would try to escape.

Maybe… you should try to get along with them, I mean, we missed you, but this is gonna be hard for you if you keep pushing.

I won’t surrender if that if what you are asking me to do. Ambassador dumbass has no right to appear out the now where and pretend I’ll listen to him. I REFUSE to do that!!

**Tellarite space cowboy**

It’s not about surrender. We aren’t saying that.

**Andorian King**

We know. Just remember when you arrived here. You were upset (and u were right), but if weren’tf or that, we wouldn’t have met. Things got better after that, don’t you think?

Yes.

**Terran Boi**

What we want to say is that you should give them a chance

I’ll think about it…

I gotta go, good night ;)

Sybok turned off his PADD and let it in the bed. Even his friends seemed to agree with Sarek, which was bothersome in so many ways. After two days in his room, he was beginning to feel isolated and tired of being confined between those four walls, but his own pride held him hostage.

He exhaled and laid in his bed to sleep.

* * *

**[…]**

* * *

At night, Sybok was extremely hungry. He waited until the dinner was finally over and went downstairs to search for food. He was careful to not make any noise and went directly to the refrigerator. He reached what it looked like the leftovers of tomato soup, because it was the only cooked thing. When Sybok closed the door, he jumped when he noticed the figure of Amanda standing there in the door frame in the middle of the darkness and he felt guilty.

“Let me help you,” she said, turning on the lights and walking to the stove. Which was an unnecessary move, considering he could put a plate in a heating unit next to the coffee maker, but he knew probably she was trying to be kind.

Sybok stepped aside, ashamed and speechless.

During the last couple of days, he had locked himself inside his room to avoid Sarek, but also because he felt ashamed after realizing what he had done to Amanda. A woman who was very welcoming and open to his arrival. Even more than his biological father. Apologize, he said to himself. He shrugged, ashamed and uncertain of how to proceed. What he could say to express he was sorry for the recent events? Sybok didn’t regret trying to escape, but he did regret the fact that he had taken the opportunity Amanda offered to him as a time to integrate and turned into a completely different thing. Surely, she had felt hurt by his lack of consideration and she deserved an apology.

“Amanda,” he stammered. He knew he owed her an apology for the incident and how he had basically taken advantage of the fact that she trusted in him to escape. He only said, “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t,” Amanda said in a soft voice, pulling out a ceramic bowl and placing it on the counter.

Sybok looked at her for an entire minute, unsure what to say next. She had been so kind and welcoming since his arrival and he had betrayed her trust by escaping. Had she been Sarek, he wouldn’t have gone as far as he got. 

“I… I was-”

“There’s nothing to forgive, Sybok,” she assured in a soft tone.

“I tricked you and… I escaped,” he admitted ashamed, looking Amanda, who was moving the soup with a spoon over the stove. “And I’m sorry for that.”

“It’s okay,” she said calmly, serving the soup in the plate while he stared.

 _Why a woman as sweet as her would marry a cold hearted individual as his father?_ Sybok thought troubled, but grateful that she was there. In the boy’s eyes, she was the opposite of what an average Vulcan would chose as a mate. She was expressive, transparent, an open book of emotions to anyone who happened to see.

“Thank you, Amanda.”

* * *

**[…]**

* * *

Shi’kahr’s sunset was majestic. The only thing he actually missed from his native planet during his stay at the academy was the sun.

The Vulcan sun.

Watching the sun disappearing in the horizon helped him to ground himself so many times in the past. The sun had been there even when everyone had not, even that last day in Vulcan before leaving. Its light and comforting heat had been there every single time when he needed to deal with his emotions. Perhaps, he was being too emotional for a Vulcan by attributing qualities to a natural phenomenon and pretending as the sun was more than just a star that maintained the life on Vulcan, but was unavoidable to not feel anything. Going abroad, had showed him what the galaxy had to offer and that belonging it wasn’t as hard as he thought during great part of his childhood. Before be sent three years off-world, he had lived in a place when he was told that there was only a proper way of living the life and he had no space to put it into question or thoughtfully examine what he was being offered. Sybok had finally witnessed a fraction of true, palpable infinite diversity in infinite combinations.

He had heard native speakers of many languages interact and exists as actual people with a face. Instead of a static picture in a book. His friends had been a really important part of his personal journey as an oblivious Vulcan child in the search to understand the world that was surrounding him and, unlike his family, didn’t blame him for not knowing or expected him to be perfect. Questioning the culture, he came from, was the next step after reflecting about the emotional display and repression. Which was one of the main pillars of the entire Vulcan society. Being critical, often was perceived as an utter discontent or a childish tantrum because of being sent to an off-world academy, but the reality was that he started to cast doubt on the matter way before leaving the planet.

Sybok wasn’t a child who had grown up in a traditional and standard, perfect family as his peers in the elementary school. The flawed manner of proceeding of his parents had been a major factor to start doubting of the ways of Vulcan. They quoted logic as the main element in every step they took as individuals and parents but, he could notice that it wasn’t the case.

He was angry and with reasonable motives to be, but… His friends had made a valid point.

_Stay or not? Fight back, obeying his need to not surrender or search for a common ground and find inner peace?_

“Sybok,” little Michael’s voice interrupted his thread of thoughts. The girl was standing in the door frame of his room. “Would you like to play chess with us?”

Spock appeared next to Michael with a box in his hands.

Sybok nodded and said, “I’d love to play chess with you.”

The kids entered his room and started to unpack the game while Sybok looked in silence how they were assembling the three-dimensional chessboard in the floor. He recognized the kindness in that simple gesture, they were only kids trying to make him feel welcomed by inviting him to play with them.

“Your turn,” Spock said once Michael moved a piece on the board.

He took the piece and slowly moved it, “Your turn.”

 _Perhaps_ … He could stay for a while.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of this part. I know that the conflict it’s not solved, but I wanted to settle a few things that will be revisited in future parts of this series. I’ve planned at least eight works in this series, different lengths and themes. The future parts will be different in structure. As I said, every part will feature a main character and plot, but the other members of the family will be living a minor subplot in the background.
> 
> Next part’s summary:  
> “Amanda and Sarek are forced to learn a lesson in empathy, when a transport malfunctions during a bumpy diplomatic trip. Sybok’s relationship with Sarek remains tense, while an oblivious Michael and Spock learn about human culture.”

**Author's Note:**

> This is intended to be some kind of slice of life AU series (?), where the characters live independent adventures and achieve little things, so, I don't pretend to write an elaborated fanfiction with a complex plot of a familiar drama. The chapters would be episodic and the little conflicts will get solved soon. This story features Sybok as the main character, but future chapters could focus on other members of the family.
> 
> Hopefully, it won't be boring to read :)


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